REPORT OF COMMITTEE 



ON 



The Maryland Agricultural 

College 



TO THE 



CITY-WIDE CONGRESS 




BALTIMORE. JANUARY 24TH. 1913 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE 



ON 



The Maryland Agricultural 

College 



TO THE 



CITY-WIDE CONGRESS 




BALTIMORE, JANUARY 24th. 1913 



^''f^' 

.^■"^i 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON MARYLAND AGRI- 
• CULTURAL COLLEGE TO THE CITY-WIDE 
CONGRESS, JANUARY 24, 1913. 

At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the City- 
^^'ide Congress, held on January 3rd, 1913, the proposal 
was made that the City- Wide Congress should interest 
itself in the reorganization and possible re-location of the 
Maryland xYgricultural College made necessary by the re- 
cent fire which destroyed important buildings, and by the 
resignation of President R. W. Silvester owing to ill 
health.. The matter was placed in the hands of Messrs. 
William M. Ellicott and Herbert Sheridan, who were re- 
quested to present a report at the session of the Congress 
on January 24th, 1913. The committee was enlarged by 
the addition of Dr. A. R. L. Dohme, Dr. D. H. Steffens and 
Messrs. John M. Dennis, x4sa B. Gardiner, Jr., C. Bosley 
Littig and J. Colin Vincent, who kindly consented to serve. 
At the first meeting of the committee, January 10th, a 
majority being present, Mr. Herbert Sheridan Avas elected 
chairman, and he, with Dr. D. H. Steffens, submitted a 
draft of a report which was afterward completed and with 
minor changes was ratified by the committee at its final 
meeting on January 24th, 1913. 



OCT M tSfS 



Before submitting its report your committee desires to 
say that we promptly advised Governor Goldsborough, 
January 11th, of the formation of a committee by action 
of the City- Wide Congress Board of Directors and duly 
received his acknowledgment, together with a request for 
a copy of the report when this committee had finished its 
labors. 



REPORT. 

Since the members of the City Wide Congress may not 
be familiar with the history and activities of the Mary- 
land Agricultural College, a brief statement may be of 
interest. It is a corporation created by the Act of 1856, 
Chapter 97 of the Laws of Maryland. Its property com- 
prises about 300 acres lying east and west of the Balti- 
more and Washington Turnpike Road about eight miles 
from the City of W^ashington, D. C, B. & O. R. R. Station, 
College Park. 

The incorporators of this Act proposed the formation 
of an Agricultural College, both for the purpose of edu- 
cating the youth on agricultural lines and for the profit 
that might lie therein. 

From time to time the State of Maryland has granted 
sums of money to the College Trustees for the erection of 
buildings and equipping the same and with these first 
grants proposed representation on the Board of Trustees 
of the College. As a result the Board of Trustees of the 
Maryland Agricultural College is now composed of seven- 
teen members, as follows : 

The Governor, Comptroller and Treasurer of the State, 
Speaker of the House, President of the Senate and the 
Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, six Trus- 
tees appointed by the Governor of the State (so that each 
year the terms of two Trustees expire and tAVO Trustees are 
appointed to serve for three years) and five Trustees 
elected by the stockholders of the Maryland Agricultural 
College Corporation. This forms a board of seventeen, 
many of whom have taken little or no interest in the af- 
fairs of the College and the real interest in the College has 
in the past been maintained by the stockholder Trustees. 



6 

Under various Acts of the United States Government 
appropriations have been made from time to time known 
as the 

First and Second Morill Acts, which yield an- 
nually 150,000 

Hatch Act, which yields annually 15,000 

Adams Act, which yields annually 15,000 

Nelson Act, which yields annually 15,000 

Total 195,000 

Ten thousand dollars of the above appropriation goes to 
the Eastern Branch of the College for the education of col- 
ored people. 

The State of Maryland has given various sums for main- 
tenance and for the erection of buildings, etc., and last 
year made an appropriation for two years of $16,000 an- 
nually. 

In 1906 an Act was passed in the General Assembly of 
Maryland creating a State Board of Agriculture and very 
briefly stating that the College Trustees should act as 
such Board. The Act so providing has served to prevent 
rather than advance due consideration along broadest 
lines for State development of agriculture. 

Unfortunately the 1906 Act did not provide for a su- 
pervision by this Board over the related departments of 
forestr^^, immigration, live stock, veterinarian and vaccine 
bureaus or any of the departments that are usually under 
control and direction of a State Board of Agriculture. 

Within recent years the imperative need of a strong 
and progressive State Board of Agriculture has been felt. 
A strong sentiment has developed that the State was not 
justified in advancing large sums for construction and 
equipment to the Maryland Agricultural College, so long 
as it was owned wholly or in part by the stockholders of a 
private corporation. 

Bearing on the present status of private and state own- 
ership, it has been said that the stock ownership of the 
original corporation founded in 1856 has through failure 
to keep proper records and to keep the stock transfers in 



the usual form, been so greatly lost sight of that the con- 
trol of the Trustees has been practically in the hands of a 
very few men whose proxies in many cases are worthless. 

It is therefore not surprising to note that the January 
1st, 1912, report of the Board of State Aid and Charities to 
the General Assembly of Maryland reports on the College 
in part as follows: 

^'When it is considered that the State of Maryland is 
asked to appropriate about |90,000 each year to the differ- 
ent branches of this institution it will be readily seen what 
an interest we have in it. That the title to this property 
is clouded one can see at a glance. The Board would rec- 
ommend that the General Assembly pass a resolution 
requiring the Attorney-General to proceed at once to se- 
cure a clear title to this property. It is the one edu- 
cational institution in the State that should be run as a 
State institution. With its Hlorti cultural Department, 
its' Experiment Station and Farmers' Institutes it reaches 
all parts of the State. If the College was run by the State 
with none but free students distributed equally over the 
entire State, it would extend its usefulness. The amount 
received from pay students is inconsiderable and the State 
had much . better make up the deficiency and have all 
students free. The great advantage in the State running 
an institution such as The Maryland Agricultural College 
lies in the fact that we receive |1 05,797.17 from the General 
Government towards its maintenance each year." 

In justice to the founders of this institution as repre- 
sented by the present stockholders, it should be said that 
the Maryland Agricultural College was not only the first 
institution of its kind in the United States but the first to 
provide for investigation and experimental work as well as 
instruction in agriculture, and it is a matter of just pride 
that every agricultural college in our country was organ- 
ized after this model. 

As with other vital subjects in which Maryland led, such 
as the steam railroad, the electric telegraph, the invention 



8 

of illuminating gas, other States have outstripped Mary- 
land in development and use of her projects. 

If we compare the Maryland Agricultural College with 
like institutions in other States (and to be fair we must 
take population and other conditions into account), one 
fact stands out — we have not availed ourselves of our op- 
portunities. Here is an Agricultural College, the oldest 
in this country, in many respects ideally located near 
Washington with its opportunities for general culture — 
libraries, museums, galleries, opportunities such as are 
possessed by no other college for obtaining the best lec- 
turers in America besides' experts from every other coun- 
try who visit the National Capital — which has some two 
hundred students, only one- third of whom are taking some 
phase of agricultural study, while two-thirds are taking 
engineering. 

Its educational standards are such that its engineers 
are compelled to finish their studies at Cornell or similar 
institutions to obtain a recognized degree, while its agri- 
cultural students, if they succeed in obtaining a recognized 
standing among their fellow students from similar insti- 
tutions, owe this rather to private study and the oppor- 
tunities afforded by the State Experiment Station than 
to any opportunities afforded by the college itself. 

We cannot shut our eyes to the regrettable fact that in 
the administration of the affairs of this institution as com- 
pared with similar institutions in other States, there have 
been both serious errors and grave neglect. Thus instead 
of establishing a school of forestry at this institution, 
which might by reason of its proximity to Washington have 
gained the character and reputation of a national school, 
setting standards for other institutions, the State Depart- 
ment of Forestry was connected with Johns Hopkins Uni- 
versity — a mistake which becomes more apparent when we 
think of the bill now pending in Congress providing for 
the establishment of a national forest in territory adjacent 
to the school. 

A similar mistake was made with the State Normal 
School. Had this been located near the Agricultural Col- 



9 

lege great economies might have been effected and in- 
creased opportunities for the training of teachers to teach 
vocational subjects, especially as they affect rural life, 
could have been provided for the students of both institu- 
tions. If any effort has been made to organize a system 
of county high schools in accordance with act of Legisla- 
ture, which should be feeders to the College rather than 
its rivals or opponents, this effort has not been crowned 
with any large measure of success. 

The responsibility for these sins of omission cannot be 
shifted to the shoulders of the authorities or faculty of 
this institution. It rests upon the citizenship of the entire 
State, including the City of Baltimore, which, with most of 
our large cities, never realized the interdependence of 
city and county until the present high cost of living forced 
the question of food supply upon our notice. In conse- 
quence of this failure to appreciate the importance of this 
institution to the State, which although organized as a 
private school now has at least a semi-public character 
(five trustees represent stockholders' — twelve the State), 
no proper provision was ever made for the adequate sup- 
port and extension of the College. While other States 
made and are making most liberal provisions by appro- 
priating a regular tax levy for their agricultural colleges, 
we compelled the trustees and faculty of this institution 
at every session of the legislature to neglect their proper 
duties and spend weeks and months at Annapolis implor- 
ing and supplicating appropriations to erect the neces- 
sary buildings for their work. 

Thus what seemed to some political work, was really a 
distasteful task forced upon the authorities by our failure 
to make proper and adequate provisions for this institu- 
tion. To illustrate the effect of an opposite policy: It 
has been truthfully said that a paltry |10,000 per year 
spent for a period of five years upon increased corn produc- 
tion would put 11,000,000 into the pockets of our Maryland 
farmers. 

As an evidence of what may be accomplished in this di- 
rection, we append a letter written by Mr. B. H. Crocheron, 



10 

Principal of the Agricultural High School at Sparks, Md., 
January 14th, 1913, in response to an inquiry addressed to 
him by your Committee : 

''In reply to your inquiry of yesterday I am glad to give 
you briefly the history and results of our experimental 
work with boys and farmers in Baltimore County. 

The school was opened in the Fall of 1909. The follow- 
ing spring I required, as ever since, all students in the 
school to conduct on their home farms an agricultural ex- 
periment each summer. Fifteen boys in the school se- 
lected com with which to experiment as a result of the 
rather remarkable Corn Congress which we had held at the 
school during the first Avinter which had a bigger corn 
show than any other in the State and had an attendance 
of 1,000 farm folks. 

I supplied these boys with four varieties of corn se- 
cured from Mr. Hartley, the Government corn expert at 
Washington, who thought they would be good for Balti- 
more County. These were planted on the 15 farms over 
a territory 25 miles long. Each boy had an acre of corn 
planted to the four varieties beside the regular cornfield 
of his father. I spent the summer supervising these and 
other experiments. In the fall we found that the acre of 
corn, which the boy had in each case treated exactly like 
that of his father, had beaten the yield of the father in 
every case with every variety. Best of all, one variety, 
Boone County White, came out best in every case. This 
led us to believe that Boone County White was a good 
corn for this place and led to further experimentation 
with it. 

The second year we had 90 boy corn growers with an 
acre of corn each and almost 100 men experimenters who 
had applied to us to conduct experiments on their farms 
because of our rather remarkable results with the boys 
which had gained wide publicity. We supplied all the 
boys with Boone County White Corn and the men with 
various varieties, 12 in all, but in almost every case Boone 
County White among tlie others to each farm. Again 
Boone County White displayed its superiority over every 



11 

one of the others in most cases and we now began to feel 
sure of the variety. 

Last summer, 1912, there were at least 1,000 farms out 
of the 4,496 in the county which grew Boone County White 
and we had 25 corn clubs organized through the rural 
schools with between 400 and 500 boy corn growers in the 
county. At our third Corn Congress held in November, 
at which there were 3,000 ears of corn on exhibit, farmers 
of the county spoke in a kind of experience meeting telling 
that their yields had been increased 10 to 25 per cent, by 
our seed. The crop of corn of Baltimore County is worth 
$850,000. If we have increased this already by the lowest 
estimate, 10 per cent., on one quarter of the farms, we 
have benefitted the county this year by over |20,000 in this' 
work alone. But this is in perpetuity so long as this or as 
good seed is grown. The working capital of the county 
has been increased by the amount on which this is the 
interest or, at 5 per cent., a half million dollars. 

Prophesies are fatal, but it looks reasonable to suppose 
that the effect of our work would not stop there even if we 
did. It does not look reasonable to suppose that a great 
majority of the farmers of the county will not follow the 
lead of the 1,000 who grow Boone County White. We 
can expect 2,000 farms to grow that corn next year and 
perhaps 3,000 the year following, I think. 

Nor need our work stop there. The estimates of yield are 
based on but 40 bushels of shelled corn per acre, whereas 
our boys get from 60 to 95 bushels per acre. If we can get 
the average farmer to get as high a yield as our lowest boy 
corn grower we will increase the yield 50 per cent, and 
the working capital of the county $8,000,000. But that is 
yet in the future. 

I do not know that I need go into detail of the many 
other types of work we have done: the orchards we have 
pruned, sprayed, fertilized and saved to big crops of fruit, 
the acres of alfalfa we have put out, nor the fertilizer 
experiments we have conducted to show how to save money 
at that end. You may be interested in the further work 
with the corn which we have done for a year in rather 



12 

complicated breeding work on the farms of our most ad- 
vanced students whereby heredity seems to make a differ- 
ence in yield of over 300 per cent. We hope to breed up 
from Boone County White to a better yielding com. 

Last spring the papers said Ave saved the county corn 
crop by the warning notices we sent out on the bad condi- 
tion of the seed corn. We sent a notice to every farmer 
on our list of over 4,000 and posted notices on every rail- 
road station, postofifice, school and many of the stores in 
the county. We directed all the 25 corn clubs to test seed 
free for farmers which they did in big quantities. Results 
of that type cannot be calculated in dollars and cents 
where it can be proved, but we believe it meant many dol- 
lars to the county. 

We expect to keep right on doing this sort of thing." 

Any group of business men if offered a chance to make 
a million dollars by investing $10,000 per year for five 
years would hardly permit it to escape them. Past Legis- 
latures of Maryland, it would seem, could not be persuaded 
to make such an investment. 

The same attractive returns might be procured by pro- 
moting the sheep industry for which this State offers 
splendid opportunities. 

The high lands of Maryland are especially well adapted 
for apple growing and large orchards are now being 
planted with further great extensions in prospect. The 
Maryland AgTi cultural College teaches pomology and now 
assists the apple grower in his efforts to fight insect pests, 
but the usefulness of the College in this work is again 
hampered by lack of funds. 

Given the adequate facilities for the development of this 
and similar industries, the College would be a factor in 
the creation of much additional wealth and unquestion- 
ably aid in the decrease of the high cost of living. 

Agriculture is our greatest undeveloped industry and 
in no other way can the welfare of present and future 
residents of Maryland, whether in city, town or country 
homes, be so effectually advanced as by honoring agri- 




13 

culture with its deserved attention. Not this alone, but 
we question whether there is elsewhere in the United 
States so much unproductive land of equivalent extent and 
value ready for profitable development as in Southern 
Maryland, climate and unlimited markets considered. 

If we of Maryland are not more prosperous in all things 
that may be represented by material gain and the higher 
things of life, it is not by reason of any lack of favorable 
soil, climate or general conditions, but rather by reason of 
neglected opportunities and discussions instead of action. 

This is well illustrated by insertion at this place of the 
admirable report presented to the Board of Trustees more 
than a year ago by Director H. J. Patterson, in which he 
outlined a comprehensive plan of development for the Col- 
lege of Agriculture. The Board approved the same for 
adoption whenever funds were available : 




14 



(Director Patterson reported as follows) : 

OUTLINE FOK AN OEGANIZATION FOR AGRICUL- 
TURAL EDUCATION AND EXTENSION 
FOR MARYLAND. 

The College of Agriculture To Be Divided Into 
Five Schools. 

"There should be a dean of the College and a Superin- 
tendent of each School. 

The Superintendent of the School would also be a pro- 
fessor or head of some department in that School. 

The School of Agriculture. 

Professor of Soils. 

Professor of Crops. 

Professor of Agricultural Chemistry and Fertilizers. 

Professor of Animal Industry. 

Professor of Dairy Industry. 

Professor of Veterinary Science and Agricultural Bac- 
teriology. 

Professor of Rural Economics ( Distribution, Marketing, 
Co-operation, Farm Accounts, etc. ) 

Professor of Farm Management. 

Lecturers on Special Branches of Animal Industry. 

The School of Rural Engineering. 

Professor of Farm Drainage. 
Professor of Farm Mechanics. 
Professor of Farm Architecture. 
Professor of Highway Engineering. 
Professor of Rural Sanitation. 



15 

The School of Horticulture. 

Professor of Pomology. 

Professor of Olericulture. 

Professor of Floriculture. 

Professor of Landscape Gardening. 

Professor of Forestry. 

Professor of Botany. 

Professor of Entomology. 

Lectures to Senior Students and Short Course Students 
by Experiment Station Investigators and Horticultural 
Specialists. 

The School of Domestic Science. 

Professor of Dietetics and Cooking. 
Professor of Household Arts and Crafts. 
Professor of Hygiene and Nursing. 
Lecturer on Household Chemistry. 
Lecturer on Household Physics. 
Lecturer on Household Bacteriology. 
Lecturer on Household Sanitation. 

The School for Training Eural Teachers. 

Professor of Pedagogies. 
Lecturer on Elementary Agriculture. 
Lecturer on Nature Studies. 
Lecturer on Domestic Science. 
Lecturer on Mechanic Arts. 
Lecturer on Farm Arithmetic. 

All teachers in the College of Agriculture would devote 
part of their time to extension work in the State. 

Some subjects would he taught by the same teacher in 
all of the Schools. 

The Lecturers in the Domestic Science and Teachers' 
Training Schools would be professors in some of the other 
Schools. 



IG 

Many subjects could he given hy a course of lectures (1 
to 20) hy specialists hired for a limited time. 

The Experiment Station workers would he available for 
giving a limited amount of instruction. 

All teachers in the College should he encouraged to con- 
duct some investigations. 

The Extension Work should consist of demonstrating 
the results of investigations; demonstrating good farm 
practice; making agricultural surveys; assisting farmers 
in selecting and planning systems for farms; giving lec- 
tures, and promoting organization in rural centers for 
co-operation, education and sociability.'' 

Desiring the fullest particulars of the Maryland Agri- 
cultural College so that our report would be as complete as 
the limited time permitted, we submitted the following 
letter and questions to the College, January 13th. 

Prof. Thomas H. Spence, who is now acting head of the 
College, unfortunately failed to receive our communication 
in time to make a reply before this session of the Congress. 
We therefore submit our letter as a part of this report, 
with the hope that Prof. Spence's reply may be presented 
at the next session of the Congress. 

"At a recent meeting of the Directors of the City Wide 
Congress, an organization representing the federated 
business, improvement and civic associations of Baltimore, 
a special committee was appointed to study the system of 
agricultural education in this State with special reference 
to the Maryland Agricultural College and its relation to 
our general scheme of public education. Since the in- 
terest manifested by this influential body in the institution 
over which you preside cannot fail to be most helpful, we 
feel encouraged to seek your co-operation in the prepara- 
tion of this report which must be the basis of any rec- 
ommendations we may feel called upon to make to the 
Congress and in which any inaccuracy of statement should 
be most carefully avoided. May we therefore ask you to 



17 

kindly reply as freely as your time will permit to the fol- 
lowing questions : 

1. How many students are at present enrolled at the 
Maryland Agricultural College? 

2. How many of the students are from Maryland? 
From other States? From other countries? 

3. How many of these students are taking a four years' 
course in Agriculture? Horticulture? Animal Hus- 
bandry? Dairying? 

4. How many of these students are taking courses in 
Engineering? 

5. Does the College make any provision for the training 
of young women in Domestic Science. Is co-education 
possible? If not, why not? 

6. What are the entrance requirements at the Mary- 
land Agricultural College? If this College does not re- 
quire graduation from High School as entrance qualifica- 
tion, please state reason. 

7. Has the Maryland Agricultural College any con- 
nection with the general system of public education in this 
State? 

8. Does it enjoy any especial advantage by reason of its 
location near the Federal Capital and the National De- 
partment of Agriculture? If so, state advantage and use 
made of it. 

9. Is it in any way connected with the State Experi- 
ment Station? The State Bureau of Forestry? The State 
Bureau of Immigration? 

10. Does the College apart from the Experiment Station 
make any provision for special study of Maryland soils or 
does it depend upon reports of National Bureau of Soils? 

11. Does the College besides directing farmers institutes 
and arranging short courses, make any effort to advise and 
assist new^ settlers in their efforts to increase the pro- 



18 

ductiveness of our soils, profitably market their products, 
etc? In other words, has the College made any efforts in- 
the direction of local farm demonstration work? 

12. Has the College through its faculty or Board of 
Trustees which we understand is also our State Board of 
Agriculture made any efforts in the direction of establish- 
ing a system of agricultural savings and credit associa- 
tions in this State? Has it made any efforts to improve 
the general conditions of country life in Maryland? 

13. How is the College at present supported? What is 
the amount of appropriation received from the Federal 
Government? From the State? From any other source? 

14. Is the present location of the College in every way 
desirable? Please discuss soil conditions as representing 
general soil conditions of State; accessibility, number of 
visitors from various parts of State, from other States, 
etc." 

We have had no desire to pick flaws nor attach blame 
but to uncover defects and suggest remedies for them. 

Under fundamental defects we submit: 

1. A failure to appreciate, both on the part of the City 
and the counties, the importance of this institution to the 
State and its development, and lack of proper and adequate 
support. 

2. A failure to grasp the opportunities presented by the 
location of the College and the educational work of the 
scientists in the National Department of Agriculture. 

3. A lack of relation and such co-ordination to the gen- 
eral educational system of the State as would conduce 
to the sending of High School graduates to the College and 
to sending of College graduates to Johns Hopkins Uni- 
versity for graduate studies. 

We hesitate to make positive and final recommendations 
because of insufficient time for study and investigation, 
but we can say this : 



19 

In our judgment, it would be a mistake to move the 
College. 

No agricultural college can be located at a place which 
will approximately represent conditions of the whole State, 
especially our State, in which conditions are extremely 
diversified. Wherever located, the necessity for local ex- 
perimentation and demonstration will become increasingly 
important. The Experiment Station through local sta- 
tions can furnish farmers with seed (i. e. winter oats, corn, 
etc.) reporting results to central station — giving proper 
study and emphasis to local conditions. There can be 
exchanges of professors and demonstrators between this 
College centre, local experiment stations and county 
schools. 

From the present location the treasures of Washington 
are available for students by short trolley ride or Balti- 
more and Ohio Railroad service. Not alone the galleries. 
Congressional treats and unusual attractions the National 
Capital presents, but the graduate students, who seek still 
further agricultural knowledge, have access to the riches of 
the United States Department of Agriculture and experi- 
ment farms of Arlington. 

We do not hesitate at this time to submit the following 
recommendations : 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 

First — That by virtue of his office and because of the 
deep personal interest Governor Goldsborough has shown 
in the subject of Agriculture, we recommend that he be 
requested by this Congress to call a meeting of representa- 
tives of the various bodies and interests of Baltimore City 
and the State to consider both the latent possibilities of 
Agricultural development of Maryland and to determine 
what should be done with respect to the Maryland Agricul- 
tural College in order that these possibilities under its 
leadership may be so utilized as to further the best inter- 
ests of the State. 

Such a meeting should be attended by representatives of : 

The Press of the City and State. 

All Farmers' Organizations. 

Maryland Agricultural College. 

City- Wide Congress. 

Board of Trade, embracing City Trade Organizations. 

Johns Hopkins University. 

Board of State Aid and Charities. 

State Board of Education. 

Bureau of Immigration. 

Associated Boards of Trade of Maryland. 

All Transportation Companies of the State. 

The United States Department of Agriculture. 

The Federated Women's Clubs of Maryland. 

We believe that Mr. John M. Glenn, who is managing 
the Sage Fund, and who is intensely interested in the best 
obtainable results from agricultural experimentation work, 
together with a representative of the Rockefeller Fund, 
who is doing somewhat similar work and such other peo- 
ple as might be interested, should also be invited. 

Second — Since the Board of Trustees adopted a full re- 
port containing plans for the comprehensive development 
of the Maryland Agricultural College presented in 1912, as 



21 

set forth herein, and pledged themselves to carry out the 
plans as soon as funds were available, your committee 
recommends that this Board of Trustees be invited to 
present the above mentioned report, with such further 
recommendations as they may desire to make, as a basis 
for discussions at the meeting to be called by the Governor. 

Third — We recommend that the greatest care be exer- 
cised in filling the office of President of the Maryland 
Agricultural College noAV vacant; and in this connection, 
that men of ability whose residence in Maryland peculiarly 
qualify them for the work of organization and development 
required by the College and the agricultural interest of the 
State, be not overlooked. After the appointment of a 
president the organization and management of the institu- 
tion should be placed in his hands. While the general 
policy of the College should be determined by the Board of 
Trustees, it should be their aim to give the President of 
the institution full opportunity to carry out this policy 
and direct all internal College affairs. 

Fourth — We recommend that the proposed meeting con- 
sider the advisability of the State promptly taking over the 
Maryland Agricultural College and operating it as a State 
institution after satisfying any vested rights now held by 
individual interests. 

Fifth — That this meeting consider the acquisition of ad- 
ditional land so that a comprehensive plan for development 
and unit system of college expansion and extension can 
have consideration. 

Sixth — Since the leading Agricultural Colleges of the 
country ow^e their success to some feature especially em- 
phasized, as follows : 

Cornell — Horticulture. 

Iowa — Stock raising. 

Wisconsin — Dairying. 

Illinois — Corn, Wheat and Grass. 

Pennsylvania — General Farm Products. 



22 

it is apparent that some distinct feature should be em- 
phasized at the Maryland Agricultural College. Because of 
our nearness to large centres of population on the Atlantic 
Seaboai^d, your committee recommends that the Maryland 
Agricultural College adopt the production of table prod- 
ucts as its feature. In other words, stress should be laid 
upon truck growing, horticulture, fish and oyster culture 
and dairying. Beyond this, by reason of its favorable loca- 
tion, it should offer exceptional advantages to advanced 
students in agriculture. 

Seventh — We recommend that the plan of study at the 
College be so arranged both as regards requirements for 
entrance and graduation as to interlock with the general 
educational system of the State. Certainly the State, 
after making a large appropriation for the establishment 
of a technical school in connection with Johns Hopkins 
University, should now, instead of supporting a similar 
course of studies at the Agricultural College, rather insist 
that the latter institution particularly emphasize rural 
engineering and farm mechanics, especially the application 
of electrical power as generated by our many mountain 
streams to agriculture and the comforts of rural life. 

Eighth — We recommend that at the proposed meeting 
there be given consideration to convict labor being em- 
ployed in such a manner as to benefit agricultural interests 
of the State instead of being a burden in addition to the 
burden the State now bears in caring for its insane and 
poor. 

Ninth — ^We recommend for the meeting a plan for ade- 
quate and generous support of this College through legis- 
lative action and increased knowledge throughout the State 
of its possibilities. 

Tenth — Since publicity is essential for best results, we 
recommend the proposed meeting consider plans for the 
College and its interests securing proper benefits through 
judicious publicity work. This seems esijecially necessar}^ 
since through lack of funds the College is now unable to 



23 

give to more thau a limited number the benefits of its ex- 
perimental and demonstration work. 

Eleventh — We believe the military discipline has been 
emphasized beyond the needful point for best results and 
recommend that this subject be considered at the meeting, 
and at the same time fearing that the dormitory and board 
systems are out of favor with students we recommend en- 
couragement for private families to board pupils or permit 
pupils to adopt club-housekeeping. 

Twelfth — We consider it highly desirable to determine 
what must be done to insure continued Federal aid for this 
institution and make sure that Maryland shall profit to 
the greatest consistent degree by such co-operative work 
with the Federal Government as will best serve the State 
and Nation. 

D. H. Stbffens. 

Herbert Sheridan, Chairman. 



■^ 



Baltimore, Md., January 24, 1913. 



On presentation of this Report to the session of the City- 
Wide Congress on January 24th, 1913, the folloAving Reso- 
lutions were adopted : 

^^Resolved, That the Report of the Committee on the 
Maryland Agricultural College be printed and sent to the 
Press of the State, with specific request that the Report be 
published in full or serially." 

''Resolved, That by virtue of his office and because of 
t\\^. deep personal interest Governor Goldsborough has 



24 

shown in the subject of Agriculture, Ave recommend that 
he be requested by this Congress to call a meeting of repre-* 
sentatives of various bodies and interests of Baltimore City 
and the State to consider both the latent possibilities of 
Agricultural development of Maryland and to determine 
Avhat should be done with respect to the Maryland Agri- 
cultural College in order that these i^ossibilities under its 
leadership may be so utilized as to further the best interests 
of the State. ' . ' 

Resolved, That the suggestion be made that the organiza- 
tions named in the Keport of the Committee on The Mary- 
land Agricultural College be included among those to be 
invited by Governor Goldsborough to the meeting in ques- 
tion. 

Resolved, That a copy of the Eeport of the Committee 
on The Maryland Agricultural College be sent to Governor 
Goldsborough with the compliments of the City-Wide Con- 
gress. 

Resolved, That a copy of this Eesolution be appended to 
the Eeport." 

A. E. L. DOHME, 

President. 

A. H. HECHT, 
Secretary pro tern. 



Sun Job Print. 



